1. Field of The Invention
This invention relates to wireless communication systems and, more particularly, to an integrated radio and directional antenna system and a method of making same.
2. Description of Related Art
Typically, in fixed outdoor wireless data systems, a radio frequency (RF) connection cable connects an outdoor antenna with an indoor radio. The RF connection cable introduces losses of signal between the antenna and the radio. Active antenna systems solve this problem by amplifying the signal level before the lossy cable, usually a coaxial cable. The active antenna systems require additional circuitry and a power supply line in addition to the RF signal line. As such, there is a cost associated with countering the losses introduced by the RF connection cable between the antenna and the radio.
In some systems, antenna diversity is typically provided by antenna systems where the receiver selects a particular antenna out of a set of antennas. Antenna diversity assists in coping with multipath fading of a received signal whereby the signals received by each antenna are compared, and the antenna having the better reception or the best signal quality (for example, signal-to-noise ratio) as measured by the base transceiver is selected. Typical diversity antenna systems require additional extraneous control lines and circuitry or multiple lossy coax cables which have to be run from the indoor radio or processing circuitry to the outdoor antenna unit. The additional lines and/or circuitry add costs and reduce the modularity of the antenna system.
Thus, a need exists for a system that overcomes the drawbacks of current systems in a cost effective manner.